Events

Better Know Your Congressional District: Food Stamp Edition

September 19, 2013 by Jon

The House of Representatives will be debating a proposed $40 billion cut to the nation’s food stamp program (now known as SNAP) this week. For a short, bipartisan update on the issue, this piece by former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle is a good place to start.

A $40 billion cut in the food stamp program will be a kick in the stomach to some of our most vulnerable neighbors here in Georgia. 87% of Georgians receiving food stamp benefits are adults taking care of kids, kids themselves, senior citizens, or Georgians with disabilities. This week, your Representative will be making a choice that reflects how we want to take care of these friends and neighbors of ours, often “the least of those among us.”

We want you to be informed on how and who their decision will affect in your community. Get to know your district better (with apologies to Stephen Colbert) by seeing for yourself the types of households that feed their families with the help of food stamps in your district (if you’re not sure what district you live in, you can find out here):

* Data reflects SNAP usage in FY 2011. Data is not yet available for Georgia's newly redrawn congressional district boundaries.

The facts are extremely important when we are making choices about the resources that families have to feed themselves. The fact is that no matter where you live in Georgia food stamps help households:

that are living in poverty

have children present in those households

have at least one or more family members that not only want to work but are actively working

and are doing so in an environment that has a higher than national average risk of hunger.

A $40 billion cut to the food stamp program is a choice against hard working, low income Georgia families. Make sure that your Representative knows that you expect him to make a choice FOR Georgia families and vote against these cuts. Call him today – here’s how.